Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-12-22
RUSSIA.
An Americans Views Of Her Gov
eminent and People.

An Americans Views Of Her Gov
ernment and People.
To understand Russia, her imperial
ism and her institutions, and especially
to appreciate the tyranny here, and to
know why such violent efforts are
made to destroy the Car and his des-
potic government. the people must
first be understood. The people, more
than the country, make republic, a
kingdom, or an empire, what it is.
Americans, more than any other
race, oppose violence as means of re-
form. The franchise of the people
works reformation, together with the
customs which bring about changes in
office But in a country where there
is no such thing as the ballot. and
corruption, unfitness and natural cir
cumstances do not change official
make-ups, the people are driven to
other means than political to work re-
forms. Here the throne is the inherit
ance of a single family, and officers
of the empire are never punished for
crimes against the people. A Russian
may with impunity and in cold blood
murder whole family, if it has no
connection with the throne, euter n
plea Of guilty, and be sure, under no
condition, that his action will cost him
his life. He will go to prison, proba-
bly, exile in Siberia, for few years.
But if he is found guilty of utterances
against a member of the royal family,
or in opposition to the imperial rule, he
is taken from his home, shop, store, or
office, and never more is heard Of His
life pays the penalty.
had read much in romancing liter
ature about the "mysterious disap-
pearaces " of people in Russia who
wrote or spoke against the high-hand-
cd imperiousness of the Gar, but came
to st. Petersburg ready to discredit it
all ! believed it might have been true
one day, but that it could not be now.
In the face of danger one is less appre-
ciative of it; yet in the capital of Rus
STA | am ready to confirm the most that
have heard of the dungeons, the gull
lotine and Siberia.
The condition of affairs in this coun-
try can be surmised when it is known
that there are no free schools, and
none of a private nature free from the
personal supervision of the Cars CEN
sor. Not line of printed matter
comes into the territory that is not
scrutinlzed by the censor of the press,
not a telegram sent in or out without
the same inspection, and nothing will
be suffered in any form, by tongue OF
ink, which takes exception to any feat
ure of the Government or suggests any
other form of government. To violate
this law is to court death. And one
does not. have to persist in violating
this law to meet with swift punish.
ment. Once is sufficient. For mild
form of indiscretion exile in Siberia oil
Il life sentence in the dungeons is pre-
serihed. II the offense is positive the
offender goes to the island, into the
garrison, and is soon beyond the cal
of mortal subjects. His remains are
thrown into the pit.
Forty-two miles up the river Nevs
from ST. Petersburgh is fortress
where enough blood has been shed, in
cxpiation of alleged crimes against the
empire to float British man of war.
1t is long, quaint old structure, made
of stone, .and the Neva, though mar
row river. broadcns just enough al
that point to give it complete protec'
lion against land approach. 1t should
occupy place in the background o.
Dante's Inferno. On the parapets OF
wall overlooking the water are Away.
a number of. sentinels who are in
structed to shoot down without cere,
mony any person who attempts t.
land. Only officers with fresh vic
Tins are permitted to approach tn,
fortress, and many are the stories
about innocent strangers, fishing oil
rowing, who have been murdered il
their efforts to visit the place. Her,
those who are condemned to death o.
life sentence are brought and it il
believed that the Internal fortunes o
the Inquisition are now in perpetual
practice within these walls. At diff
fcrent periods members of the roya
family--like the son of Peter the Grea
have been cast into this dungeon t
die. under suspicion of disloyalty t
the Gar. In natural location it re
minds oneof Bla ckwell's Island, nea
Sew York, but the latter prison is
palace in comparison.
The censor of the press, when h
wishes simply to destroy certain ar
tlcle in newspaper or magazine. gen
Tally runs roller of black ink over il
l'aving a dense spot. through which no
= word can be discerned. The instru
inent Is like the ink-rollerof printing
fless If the article in a magazin
DIVERS more than page. the pages ar
simply torn out and cast into the vast